maanantai 24. elokuuta 2009

Summer in the fall

This summer we did a holiday-trip to Åland, which is the autonomus island off the south-west coast of Finland. The area is mainly swedish-speaking, extremely beautiful and very particular on it's nature.

We spent the first night in Kustavi at a place called Itätalo (the East House in english). The place is a wonderful example of a 19th century farmer's manor. The most important buildings of the area have been built in the 18th and 19th centuries. Based on what is known of the history, buildings have existed in the area as early as 17th century and the area has already been inhabited in the early middle ages.

As the night turned darker, the decision was to be made who was to sleep where. Accomodation was slightly primitive: there were sleeping quarters in the barn, the old granary and the old Seamstress's hut. Our party decided on the old farm house workers' quarters, Väentupa (from where the pictures are from), which dated back to 1700's. The building is almost in it's old glory thanks to well done renovation. The great fire-heated baking oven and humongous rafters dominated the room and the walls were lined with long dining-tables.

Unfortunately the tables were not heavy with delicacies from the old times, but the lady of the house prepared an evening meal suited to the atmosphere. Freshly picked mint-leaves from the garden spiced up the tea and warm rolls from organically grown wheat tasted delicious in the darkening night of Kustavi.